"HRC questions land-reform plan"

Up to 89 Million More AIDS Victims in Africa by 2025 - UN
A further 89 million people in Africa could be infected by the HIV virus by 2025 in the continent's biggest crisis since slavery, the United Nations said on Friday.

UN urges Africa to take the 'right step'
Up to 43 million HIV infections could be averted in Africa over the next 20 years if governments take the right steps and significant foreign aid is forthcoming, a United Nations study published on Friday said.

The San a "Community Fast Losing Hope"
The plight of an indigenous community in South Africa, the San, was placed in the spotlight this week with the launch of a report by the South African Human Rights Commission.

HRC questions land-reform plan
The failure of the land-restitution programme for the Khomani San raised questions of how many other communities in South Africa were living in the same circumstances, said an official on Thursday.

Rice Meets With S. Africa Foreign Minister
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice welcomed South African Foreign Minister Noksazana Dlamini-Zuma to her office Friday saying, "South Africa and the United States are partners in many ways."

Social Exclusion Traps People in Poverty, Report
Although South Africa enjoys living standards that are, on average, significantly higher than its neighbours, racially imbedded inequality makes it extremely difficult for people to escape poverty.

Mugabe election will be fair, claims Mbeki
Mr Mbeki said he had no reason to expect fraud in the 31 March poll, which the international community sees as a test case for the general African commitment to more transparent governance.

Mbeki angers democracy groups in Zimbabwe
Advocates for democracy in Zimbabwe believe South African President Thabo Mbeki has betrayed them by endorsing an upcoming presidential election, in spite of arrests of opposition politicians and laws that put the army in charge of polling stations.

Mbeki Optimistic About Ivory Coast Peace Process
President Thabo Mbeki has expressed optimism in the Ivory Coast peace process, assuring the world that elections scheduled for October in that country will go ahead as planned.

Manhunt for Zulu prince killers
South African police are looking for three men suspected of killing a Zulu prince and ruling African National Congress (ANC) official.

Legacy of arbitrary borders continues to limit sub-Saharan Africa
The world's economic powers finally appear to be closing ranks behind efforts to address global poverty and economic underdevelopment. At this year's World Economic Forum, within the G8, and elsewhere, the consensus that something needs to be done has been as clear and as it is welcome. But, for some of the world's poorest regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a commitment to help may not be enough.

S. Africa probes killing of militias in Congo
South African defense authorities said Thursday they were gathering details on the reported killing of 50 Congolese militia by South African and Pakistani peacekeeping troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Zimbabwe to Free More Than 60 South African Mercenaries
A lawyer for more than 60 suspected South African mercenaries jailed in Zimbabwe for their involvement in a coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea says they may return to South Africa on Saturday.

Ukraine Ex-minister linked to murder found dead
Former Ukrainian Interior Minister Yuri Kravchenko, linked to the murder of investigative journalist Georgiy Gongadze, has been found dead, Reuters quoted Ukraine's SBU security service agency as saying.

Assad to Announce Lebanon Pullback, U.S. Wants More
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad prepared to announce on Saturday a partial pullout of troops from Lebanon, but U.S. President George W. Bush warned nothing short of a full withdrawal would satisfy Washington.

Lebanon: Washington's Latest Domino
Washington's objectives in Lebanon are ultimately no different than they are in Iraq, Afghanistan or Haiti. Many will find that hard to believe, but time will tell. The Bush Administration is mounting a three pronged-attack in Lebanon that will involve a permanent American military presence, an economic system dictated by the IMF and direct rule from Washington.

London mayor calls Sharon 'war criminal'
The mayor of London called Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a war criminal and said in a newspaper article published Friday that Israel is guilty of ethnic cleansing.

India offers Venezuela refinery stake, eyes oilfield
India will offer Venezuela equity in a refining firm and take a stake a Venezuelan oilfield to cement growing ties between Asia's third largest consumer and the World's No. 5 exporter, top officials said on Friday. State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC), which is bidding for foreign oil assets to secure energy supplies, is likely to take a 49 percent stake in the San Cristobal oilfield, Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said.

Briton 'may face execution' for running website
A British terrorist suspect could face the death penalty or imprisonment in Guantánamo Bay if he is extradited to the US, his lawyers said yesterday. The US authorities want to try Babar Ahmad, 30, from Tooting, south-west London, for allegedly running websites and sending emails to raise money for the fighting in Chechnya and Afghanistan.

Scientists Explore 'Lost City' of Strange Ocean Creatures
A strange world of see-through shrimp, crabs and other life forms teems around a newly explored field of thermal vents near the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, scientists report.

Thailand summons US ambassador
Thailand's foreign affairs ministry on Wednesday summoned the US ambassador here to lodge a complaint about the kingdom's treatment in an annual US human rights report, its spokesman said.

33 Things You Should Know About the Middle East and America
What right has President Bush or Conde Rice to dictate to the Lebanese Government? Why is it that the "demonstrators" in Beirut, Lebanon, had all their signs in English? Have you considered that they were playing to the American TV audience? In fact, the "big crowds" the American media spoke about were less than 3000 people, but the cameras shot the crowed for maximum effect.

Ritalin 'Linked To Chromosome Abnormalities'
In a small but startling preliminary new study, Texas researchers have found that after just three months, every one of a dozen children treated for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with the drug methylphenidate experienced a threefold increase in levels of chromosome abnormalities occurrences associated with increased risks of cancer and other adverse health effects.

Venezuela detects several US battleships near its coasts
Caracas says the presence of these vessels may be part of "unannounced routine manoeuvres"